Latest Area News Headlines

WORTHINGTON – As he enters his 16th year as Nobles County Sheriff, Kent Wilkening has announced his candidacy for the 2014 ballot, which he said will be his fifth term if elected.

Wilkening began his service in Nobles County in 1987 as a deputy, and in 1998 ran for the sheriff’s position. He took office in 1999.

Wilkening also talked about some upcoming changes being pondered by the county in courtroom security. The coded keypads that guard many of the doors in the building are being upgraded, and consideration to upgrading other security measures is underway as well.

WORTHINGTON – Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Chief executive officer Chancellor Steven Rosenstone visited the Minnesota West Community and Technical College Worthington Campus on Monday to ask students, staff and faculty what they were looking for in an interim and permanent president for the school. Current President Richard Shrubb announced his decision to retire about a month ago.

An interim president will be appointed to serve from July 2014 through June 2015, when a permanent president will be chosen. According to Rosenstone, the two positions cannot be filled by the...

BREWSTER – The Brewster man killed in a snowmobile crash in the early morning hours Sunday had rolled his sled and was ejected, according to Nobles County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. Jay Clark.

Dana Stenzel, age 29, formerly of Heron Lake,was snowmobiling just north of the Minnesota Soybean Processors plant in Brewster when he hit a field approach, Clark said. Stenzel was ejected from the sled as it rolled, and his body hit a street sign, causing chest cavity trauma.

Stenzel was sledding with one other person, who was approximately a half-mile behind.
The Nobles County...

WORTHINGTON - Winds howling up to 60 miles per hour whipped up fresh snow Sunday, closing highways in southwest and central Minnesota and causing hundreds of school closings amid a new round of bone-chilling cold. More than one area lost electricity Sunday evening, due to the blizzard.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation and the State Patrol closed highways across the state, pulling plows and shutting traffic gates by 5:30 p.m. Hotels filled up quickly, prompting some towns to open shelters, including one in Brewster and another in Cottonwood County. As of 8 a.m., all roads...

BREWSTER – A snowmobile crash near the Minnesota Soybean Processors plant in Brewster resulted in a fatality early Sunday morning, according to reports. Killed in the crash was Dana Stenzel of Brewster, formerly of Heron Lake.

Incident reports show authorities and emergency response units were alerted at 12:13 a.m. about a crash with injuries. The Nobles County Sheriff’s Office, Brewster Rescue and the Worthington Ambulance responded. Because of Sunday’s winter storm, law enforcement officials were not available to release more information at this time.

WORTHINGTON – According to MnDOT, all Minnesota highways in southwest and south central Minnesota are in the process of closing as of 5 p.m. Sunday. Snow plows are being pulled in, and gates are coming down. Full closure is expected by 5:30 p.m.

HERON LAKE – Authorities seized four pounds of methamphetamines and five pounds of marijuana during a search early Friday morning at a residence in Heron Lake.

Assisted by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at 12:30 a.m. Friday at 1422 Second Avenue in Heron Lake, owned by 51-year-old Esteban Chavez-Cruz. Besides the meth and marijuana, authorities found $50,000 in cash and seized five guns. The items were located in an upstairs bedroom in hidden...

WORTHINGTON – U.S. Senator Al Franken will be in southwest Minnesota this afternoon to meet with local leaders and economic development officials about water and renewable fuel standards.

The senator will be at the Worthington Fire Hall at 2:15 p.m. to discuss the efforts being made to advance the Lewis and Clark Rural Water Project. According to a press release from Franken’s office, he has championed the project since coming to the senate in 2009. He states the local governments have already done their part to complete the project that will bring much-needed water, jobs and...

WORTHINGTON – The Worthington Regional Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors got together on a chilly Thursday morning for an annual meeting to talk about the part year’s accomplishments and plan for the coming year.

2013 Board Chair Jason Turner ran through the activities of the past year, with the big one being the hiring of WREDC Manager Abraham Algadi. Turner said Algadi started in May and hit the ground running.

Turner talked about the new WREDC logo, the Social Media Breakfast meeting that have been established, and the updated website, as well as the...

WORTHINGTON – Local law enforcement is working hard on conquering social media, hoping to use a variety of ways to get the word out when the public needs to be alerted or when law enforcement needs their help. The Nobles County Sheriff’s Office has maintained a Facebook page since February of last year, and according to Worthington Police Sgt. Brett Wiltrout, the department is in the process of creating a Facebook page of their own, which is expected to be up in February or March.

Nobles County Sheriff Kent Wilkening said they are working on a routine to get the Facebook page...